DualShock 4 Issue May Have You Buying Games Without Your Knowing

March 22, 2014

For those of you that didn’t know, you can use your DualShock 4 to control your PS3. You may want to reconsider doing that though. Recently, some gamers have accidentally purchased games while using their DS4 on their PS3s. Even more, Sony is refusing refunds. Don’t let this happen to you.

A few forum users on the RLLMUK forums have reported that while playing Dark Souls II on their PS3s with a DS4, that games were purchased on on the PS4 PSN store on their PS4. Here is what one of the forum users, Timmo, had to say:

Ok, most of you will find this funny (I know I would), I’m fuming.

Playing Dark Souls 2 on the PS3 with my PS4 controller, I leave my PS4 on as it’s downloading updates.

Turns out the controller can control both at the same time.

So my inputs on Dark Souls buy me FIFA on PS4 (a game I already own) and British Cop skin pack (I don’t even know what this is). Get an email on my tablet telling me so.

Ask to speak to his superior and they won’t come on the phone. He then tells me support staff have said it’s not possible to control two devices at once. He doesn’t seem to believe me.

Half of me wants to trade this in for an Xbox with Titanfall right now.

Another user, LongHairStu, had the same experience, while playing the same game. Here are his thoughts on what happened:

Yeah, hi. *Raises hand* Me too. Kind of. I had two Dark Souls sessions – at midnight, when the PS4 pad seemed to work fine, and at lunchtime, when I couldn’t get it to work. Can’t remember why, but it must have been disconnected when I turned the PS3 on, as fixing it took switching everything off, plugging it in (changing USB port at the time), and restarting. Then it worked. When I saw the standby light on the PS4 later on, I figured I’d just turned it on. I was mortified when I saw Battlefield there, and then I noticed that I’d watched a film as well.

I guess it must have been in that time that the PS4 pad wasn’t properly connected to the PS3 that it happened. Notwithstanding the distance selling point, I appreciate that I might not have a leg to stand on, but I’ll be looking to ask anyway – I can’t easily weather a £68 loss. Hell, I have zero interest inBattlefield 4 (hey, if only there was some way of selling on digital content…), if it had been Assassin’s Creed 4, or Need for Speed at the same price, or Strider/Trine 2 for £15 or so, I probably could have taken it on the chin. So, yeah, fuming is a word I can get on board with. Guess I’ll email Sony, but I’ll be leaving my dignity at the door.

Really taken the shine off what was an otherwise great day. My birthday, as it happens. And do keep laughing – I’ve laughed at it now and then, it doesn’t really pay to get too snarled up over it.

What is happening with these gamers, is while they are playing on their PS3s with their PS4s still turned on, the DS4 controller is controlling both consoles. While inputting commands in the game the also end up purchasing game of of PSN. The Escapist has reached out to Sony, and as of now has received no response.

Here is some advice for those of you who are going to use your DS4 on your PS3. Either turn off your PS4, or disconnect your credit card from your PSN account while playing.

That’s all for now from me, The Jay Doctor. One commenter on the RLLMUK forum said that Sony is not responsible, as it was the gamer who entered the button inputs to buy a game. What is your take? Let me know in the comments, or on Twitter, where you can contact/follow. I have provided you with some handy links below, for your own convenience.